All About RAMADAN

Tarawih At Home

How to Pray Tarawih at Home

Understanding the Prophetic Tarawih

Tarawih is a sunnah mu'akkadah - meaning a verified sunnah that the Prophet used to do consistently. He technically used to pray qiyam ul layl (optional nightly prayers) year-round, out of devotion to Allah (S). It must be clarified that tarawih is essentially considered qiyam, but it was given the name tarawih - which literally means "to rest and relax" - in reference to how the sahabah (companions of the Prophet) and righteous used to literally rest every four raka'as because of how lengthy the prayer was.

Here's what many people may not know: The Prophet Muhammad (saw) actually used to perform most of his tarawih prayers at home. Tarawih was never a nightly congregational prayer during his lifetime. In fact, in the last year (and last Ramadan) of his life, he's said to have prayed tarawih at the masjid for three nights in a row (and each night, more and more people joined in congregation), and on the fourth night, a large amount of Muslims awaited his arrival to start the prayer, but he never came. At fajr, he said: "Nothing prevented me from coming out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made obligatory for you." (Muslim)
Following the death of the Prophet, tarawih continued to be prayed individually or in small groups. It was not until later in the khilafah (leadership) of Umar (ra) that tarawih prayers began to be prayed in congregation at the masjid every night in an effort to foster more community and unity for the ummah.

How Do We Pray Tarawih at Home?

When he was asked about night prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "Prayers at night are offered in two followed by two. Then, if you fear dawn will come, pray witr with one." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

As we're accustomed to doing in our masjid, it's highly encouraged to pray tarawih in congregation with your family members, as the reward for praying in jama'ah (group) is multiplied. Plus, it's great bonding for your family! If you can't, that's totally OK too! Don't know how to pray tarawih? Here's the simple step-by-step breakdown:

1. Pray Isha (four raka'as)

2. Pray two raka'as sunnah of Isha

3. Set your intention to start praying tarawih/qiyam. Pray the first four rak'as of tarawih (2 raka'as at a time).

4. Take a short break.

5. Pray the next four raka'as (again, two raka'as at a time).

6. Here, you can either end your tarawih and move on to witr, or continue praying.

7. Pray witr (either one or three raka'as).

According to the scholars, the Prophet (S) is known to have prayed tarawih in eight, 12 and even 20 raka'as plus the three witr raka'as - so do what works for you! While there are differences of opinion on how many raka'as the Prophet (S) prayed, all scholars agree on this: the quality of your tarawih is more important than the quantity.

What Quran and Du'a Do I Read in Tarawih?

There are no specific surahs in Quran that you have to read while performing tarawih prayers. Typically though, imams in the masjid try to complete one juz (chapter) a night, so by the end of Ramadan, they complete the entire Quran during their tarawih prayers.
(

If you can't do that my best advice is to read the last 10 Surah from
Surah-fil to Surah-Nas)

In terms of du'a, that is entirely up to you. Worshiping Allah (S) in the night, and especially in the last third of the night (right before fajr) is one of the *best* times to make du'a - and so Allah (S) wants you to seek Him and ask for anything and everything. Take advantage, and even try to make a du'a list so you don't forget everything you want to ask for ;)

Please note: NEVER feel that you are asking too much of Allah (S). HE is bigger than all your problems and desires, and refraining from asking Him of something is like telling Him it's too much for Him.

At the end of the day, Allah (S) loves to see His servants worship Him, and worshiping Allah (S) at night, away from all the distractions of the daytime, is one of the best times to increase in spirituality and in connection with Him. We all have different circumstances, and Allah (S) understands this. There is a reason tarawih was not made fard, but a highly recommended sunnah.

Why Do We Pray Tarawih?

It is known that night prayer/worship has immense value and reward. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet also said:

"Religion is easy; whoever overburdens himself in religion will be overpowered by it (i.e. he will not be able to continue in that way.) So pursue what is good moderately; try to be near to perfection (if you cannot attain it); and receive the good tidings (that you will be rewarded). Gain strength by worshiping in the mornings, the afternoons, and some part of the night's last hours." (Al-Bukhari)

Reward for tarawih

Al-Bukhari (37) and Muslim (759) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays qiyam in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."

“A woman’s praying in her house is better for her than her praying in the mosque, whether it is an obligatory or supererogatory prayer, Tarawih or otherwise.” (Fatawa al-Lajnah ad-Daimah – vol. 1, 7/201) 

The scholars agreed that it is mustahabb to pray Tarawih , but they differed as to whether it is better for a person to pray on his own at home or in congregation in the mosque. Al-Shafi'i and most of his companions, Abu Hanifah, Ahmad and some of the Malikis and others said that it is better to pray it in congregation, as 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did and as the Muslims continued to do.

Al-Tirmidhi (806) narrated that Abu Dharr said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays qiyam with the imam until he finishes, will be recorded as having spent the whole night in prayer." (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi)

السلام و علیکم ورحمتہ اللہْ

May Allah help us all. Remember me and the entire Muslim Ummah in your Duas.